2022 NL MVP Betting Odds: Expert Paul Goldschmidt Prediction

The National League underwent serious changes thanks to adopting the designated hitter.

The MVP award is still the top hardware to obtain and bet on. This article gauges the best chances for you to hit a home run of your own without strenuous arm workouts.

2022 NL MVP Odds

The Favorite: Paul Goldschmidt | +115 at FanDuel

St. Louis turned its undivided start-of-season attention to the last hurrah of the terrific trio Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright.

Then Paul Goldschmidt started turning fans and opposing pitchers’ heads with a ridiculous 25-game hitting streak and 46 consecutive games reaching base, which just ended. His 23 extra-base hits in May broke the franchise record.

The incredible run accelerates an already great season into the front of the MVP pack. Goldschmidt has collected the most hits in the NL, indicatives of having the best batting average and OBP. He also leads the NL in OPS and total bases.

Don’t categorize this surging start as luck. Goldschmidt landed in the top three for NL MVP voting three times and the top 10 five. He’s been one of the best and most feared first basemen for almost his whole 12-year career.

Goldschmidt’s golden career clings exclusively to the NL. He is extremely familiar with ballparks, team strategies and tenured pitchers. Combine that advantage with the luxury of teeing off on the mostly anemic NL Central pitching for a solid, storied team. Goldschmidt stands a tremendous shot to have the statistics and narrative to capture his first MVP this season.

Value Pick: Mookie Betts | +1200 at FanDuel

Since I called Mookie Betts “Mookie Monster,” he hasn’t devoured many cookies thrown at him. The production-starved star has batted just .193 with two home runs and just one other extra-base hit this entire month. The streak as blue as Dodgers uniforms leaves an abysmal .207 OBP. 

July sparks the opportunity for more fireworks. The schedule features seven games against the lowly Rockies, including the last four games at the hitter’s paradise known as Coors Field. The Dodgers face the Cubs and Nationals for seven combined games as well. All three of those teams toil with the five-lowest team ERAs. Four games against the struggling Giants and two games against the Angels without Ohtani expected to pitch encourage further rebounding.

Betts fell from the top of the leaderboards in almost all major categories except runs scored. His stacked team picks up the slugging stack, maintaining the second-best record in the NL. 

Consider Betts a man who has some ground to make up to the three names favored ahead of him, but a strong buy-low candidate at this temporarily reduced line.

Safe Pick: Manny Machado | +550 at FanDuel

What can’t Manny Machado do? Winning the 2022 MVP befits “wrong answers only” memes.

Machado’s versatility is no laughing matter. He has captured the lead in WAR (widely considered the ultimate statistical snapshot of value) for position players most of the season and is currently only 0.2 behind the lead. Furthermore, he is second to Goldschmidt in numerous NL hitting categories and is in the top 10 in the majors in almost all major ones. 

Achieving these numbers within Petco Park’s towering walls and San Diego’s coastal breezes that with baseball travel magnifies Machado’s early magnificence. The torrid start anchors the Padres’ division-contending success.

The MVP award and a World Series ring are the only two accomplishments Machado hasn’t reached in his storied career. A couple of Golden Gloves supported by a broad range factor and defensive highlight reel prove Machado possesses value without a bat in his hand.

Machado runs well too, as evidenced by stealing 7 bases while getting caught just once.

On the Rise: Pete Alonso | +500 at FanDuel

Pete Alonso affirms his “Polar Bear” nickname. He mauls mistakes with huge swings that send them into the bleachers. This year’s attack is more selective than previous years. As a result, Alonso sports the best batting average and OBP of his career while regaining the NL lead in home runs he enjoyed in 2019. 

Alonso drives in the most RBIs in baseball as well. The already almighty Mets’ return to full health ensures there’s high potential to maintain that accolade-attracting mark for the rest of the season. Accomplishing that feat for the team with the best record in the NL bodes well for giving Goldschmidt serious competition for the MVP trophy. 

Potential bettors beware: somebody cursed the Mets with baseball voodoo that compels pitchers to keep hitting batters at an alarming rate, including Alonso, who the team feared had a broken hand recently. His young career suggests he keeps himself free of injuries though.

Longshot: Freddie Freeman +2500 at FanDuel

Recent drama surrounds Freddie Freeman, but so does success. 

He’s homesick, but he has had no trouble finding home plate while begrudgingly shining in the luminous L.A. spotlight. Freeman has batted .382 with a 482 OBP with 3 home runs and 12 RBIs during his last 12 games. He snuck his way to the runner-up position in the NL race for runs created, times reaching base and doubles. He has collected the third-most hits as well.

His track record demonstrates MVP worthiness. He earned the award in the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and has finished firmly in the top 10 five times in the last six seasons.

He’ll never be the biggest slugger or the flashiest player, but he has a very measured approach to baseball that fosters respectable consistency in most hitting categories while being a highly dependable fielder and clubhouse leader.

2022 National League MVP Prediction:

Numbers, narratives and easy nemeses fuse with momentum to make Goldschmidt the man for pitchers and betting contrarians to beat in the NL right now.

Pick: Paul Goldschmidt  | +115 at FanDuel

Editor’s Note: Player statistics are accurate as of end of June 27.